26/11 Mumbai terror attacks: How secure is India's 7516km coastline 13 years later

By Anish Kumar | First Published Nov 26, 2021, 7:30 AM IST

On average, 45-50 Indian Coast Guard ships and 10-12 aircraft are deployed daily for surveillance, says Coast Guard Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan while speaking to Asianet Newsable.

November 26, 2008 - The day terror went on a rampage in India's financial capital Mumbai. Ten Pakistan-trained Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who took the sea route to reach Mumbai, unleashed a hail of bullets, spilt innocent blood and kept the city hostage for nearly 60 hours. India, on Friday, is observing the 13th anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks. A lot has changed since 2008. India isn't the same anymore; its response to threats has evolved.

In fact, time and again, India has demonstrated its ability to nip any misadventure or ploy in the bud and if needed deal a bloody nose to the adversary. To understand better how much the country is prepared to thwart another 26/11-type operation before it even begins, Asianet Newsable reached out to Coast Guard Director General Krishnaswamy Natarajan. Read on...

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How has coastal security improved since 26/11?

After the Mumbai attacks in 2008, there was a paradigm shift in the maritime security apparatus that increased emphasis on surveillance, intelligence gathering and information sharing amongst the various stakeholders to ensure an effective response to any emerging situation. In February 2009, the Indian Coast Guard was additionally designated as the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial waters, including areas to be patrolled by the Coastal Police. The Coast Guard is also responsible for overall coordination between central and state agencies in matters relating to coastal security.

The Coast Guard has promulgated Standard Operating Procedures for ensuring coordination and cohesion amongst various agencies involved in coastal security. Regular exercises are conducted to validate these SOPs. To revalidate the coastal security mechanism and bring awareness among the fishermen at sea, regular boarding operations are also being conducted to check the occupants of the vessels, including their identity cards and registration documents. Based on intelligence inputs, coastal security operations are enhanced by the Coast Guard in coordination with other stakeholders.

Community Interaction Programmes with the fishers and coastal populace are conducted periodically by the Coast Guard to sensitize them on security and safety issues, which in turn enables them to act as 'Eyes and Ears' in the overall coastal security construct. In order to develop the capacity of the Marine Police personnel, Coast Guard has been imparting regular training to them since 2006. Coast Guard and the Marine Police are working in the 'Hub-and-Spoke' concept, the 'Hub' being the Coast Guard stations and the 'Spoke' being the Coastal Police stations.

Also Read: 13 years on, India's terror dossiers gather dust in Pakistan

The central government has also instituted measures for effective coastal security, including setting up and strengthening of Marine Police stations in all coastal states and Union Territories, the patrol of coastal waters by Marine Police, issue of biometric identity cards to fishermen, statewise colour coding of fishing boats, coastal mapping, setting up of state maritime boards for the security of non-major ports, strengthening of security at major ports including waterfront patrolling, joint coastal patrol by Coast Guard and the Marine Police, security of islands and capacity building of stakeholders of coastal security.

What kind of measures were adopted since 26/11?

Post 26/11, the National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and Coastal Security against threats from Sea (NCSMCS) was established under Cabinet Secretary in 2009 for the implementation of measures for an effective coastal security mechanism. Also, a Steering Committee for Review of Coastal Security (SCRCS) under Secretary (BM)/MHA was established in 2013 to oversee the implementation of such measures. Further, the Centre has taken initiatives for strengthening of Indian Coast Guard and stakeholders for effective surveillance of sea areas.

Surveillance of 1382 islands is routinely undertaken by Coast Guard ships and aircraft on patrol. The Coast Guard also undertakes extensive boarding operations for scrutiny and ascertaining the credentials of fishermen, barges and Mechanized Sailing Vessels (Dhows). Pre-arrival notifications for security (PANs) have been made mandatory for all merchant vessels calling up at Indian ports. The merchant ships, fishing boats, dhows, barges, etc., are maintained under electronic surveillance through Remote Operating Stations, Remote Operating Centres and Control Centres of the Indian Coast Guard.

Watch: Terror Decoded: Pakistan-bred menace Lashkar-e-Taiba

How successful have these operations been?

To secure 7516km of coastline, constant surveillance is to be maintained by ships, aircraft and electronic surveillance measures. On average, 45-50 Indian Coast Guard ships and 10-12 aircraft are deployed daily for surveillance. The Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft provide the much essential deterrence and ensure security in the Area of Responsibility thereby protecting the national maritime interests in such zones.

Based on intelligence inputs and threat alerts in coastal areas, Coastal Security Operations have been conducted/participated by the Coast Guard. Further, the Coast Guard undertakes a special operation named ‘Op Sajag’ every month at all coastal states and Union Territories with the deployment of maximum Coast Guard units to undertake extensive boarding of fishing boats at sea primarily for deterrence and random scrutiny of documents.

Boarding operations are one among the many charter of duties, which the Coast Guard ships on patrol undertake. The increase in patrolling and hence consequent boarding efforts after 26/11 was consciously undertaken to ensure non-recurrence of such incidents by forces inimical to India.

What was the biggest operational achievement in preventing a repeat of 26/11?

Since the implementation of the new coastal security mechanism, there has not been a single incident of breach of security anywhere along the Indian coastline and is probably the best indicator of the success of the new security mechanism. The foremost reason for this transformation is improved information sharing along with better inter-agency coordination and synergy.

The security agencies are solemn and alert in responding to any maritime security incidents. The persistent and systematic efforts and resolve of the Indian Coast Guard in getting all other agencies to work in a coordinated manner through the regular conduct of state-wise, inter-agency coastal security exercises, called ‘Sagar Kavach’, has been instrumental.

Also Read: 26/11 attacks: The 60-hour-siege that kept India on tenterhooks

How is the Coast Guard preparing for future AI/technology-driven security threats?

As part of the coastal security mechanism, a surveillance system called Coastal Surveillance Network comprising of a chain of static sensors having radar, Automatic Identification System, day/night cameras and MET sensors at 46 locations along the coastline and islands have been established by ICG.

In order to achieve near gap-free surveillance of the entire coastline additional 38 radar stations, 4 mobile surveillance systems and Vessel Traffic Management System connectivity are being installed under CSN Phase-II.

What more needs to be done to plug gaps in Coastal Security?

The key issues as challenges for coastal security and in turn safety for vessels ranging from small country craft to ultra-large crude carriers are primarily in the legal regime of United Nations Conventions for Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS) and its adoption under various other applicable national acts and the rules thereof.

Secondly, in the execution of the authority by various stakeholders, towards responsibilities to coastal security, creation of a proper follow-up system towards the accountability as a regular update of actions.

Finally, the implementation support along with efficient communication. The multi-stakeholder concept which emerged post 26/11 for coastal security steered through Chief Secretaries of the respective coastal states and supervised by the MHA, through Border Management Division under the monitoring of the Cabinet Secretary through NCSMCS provides an optimal approach to ensure time-bound implementation of all tasks and a high level of coordination among numerous stakeholders. The Coastal Security Construct of the present day has been successful in building synergy and coordination which in the present day security environment is very much required and hence to be continued.

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